Christian Universalism and the Nation

[Michie]

*You are in the Catholic forum*

Christianity requires no specific political form. It has adapted to kingdoms, empires, and republics. But Christianity opposes any political project that pretends to a universal mission or dominion. In the Christian view, only the Church can overcome divisions and restore unity to the human race.

Continued below.
Christian Universalism and the Nation | R. R. Reno

 

[Gnarwhal]

It has adapted to kingdoms, empires, and republics.​

I would say rather that kingdoms, empires, and republics have adapted to Christianity. At least historically speaking. That's how it should be, anyways.

But that's just me being pedantic.

 

[AllDayFaith]

But that's just me being pedantic.

Can you define "pedantic?"
And your signature is awesome.

 

[Gnarwhal]

Can you define "pedantic?"
And your signature is awesome.

overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, especially in teaching.​

And thanks!

 

[Bob Crowley]

As a whole, societies have been moving towards bigger and bigger units over the centuries. At one stage, society was strictly tribal, but now we have nation states, and in some cases, commonwealths of nation states eg. European Union. On the other hand, some societies even today still have a tribal ethic, or tribal basis.

We could argue all day about which type of society is the best, as there are advantages and disadvantages in all of them.

But the thesis is correct, peace can only come through Christ in the end. The Church condemns any form of "secular messianism", which in political language would mean any attempt to realise "peace on earth" through purely human agency.

From the Catholic Catechism -

676 The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the "intrinsically perverse" political form of a secular messianism.

 

[Bob Crowley]

As an addendum to my post above, Paul insinuated that when the world thinks we've got "peace at last" due to some false messianic agency, then the end will come.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 NIV

For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and security,”destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Right now with the long suffering people of Syria now facing another war, the North Korean stand-off, Chinese hegemony at work (ironic as that was one of the Marxist catch cries about the West not so long ago), NATO versus Russia, India and Pakistan both nuclear armed, climate change, our dependence on (largely Middle Eastern supplied) fossil fuel and the huge indebtedness of the West, the last thing we could say right now is "Peace and security".

Which is one of my reasons for thinking that expectations of an imminent return are a bit premature. Personally I've got a peculiar belief God intends to drive us off the planet anyway, and if He does, it will take quite some time fur us to get any sort of galactic civilisation going, as conditions will be so hostile. Mother Nature might be beautiful at times, but she's also quite indifferent to human welfare.

Just ask your nearest Typhoon, Tidal Wave or Black Hole.